Throwback Thursday: Boys Anti-Tank Rifle

They were essentially Mausers on steroids, and they did remarkable amounts of damage to the enemy. Here's how.

by
posted on August 29, 2024

Just a little over a century ago, World War I flamed into existence ... and with it came the first real tanks used in battle. (Leonardo da Vinci's envisioning of a tank was already over 400 years old at that point. It was a stroke of genius from one of the most famous geniuses of all time, but it was never built.) This new way of fighting wars promised soldiers a virtually unassailable mobile position. In the way of arms races, naturally, the British went to work creating a handheld firearm capable of taking out a tank.

They succeeded. It was called the Boys Rifle, and it fired an absolutely massive projectile that could penetrate the armor of WWI-era tanks. In the way of arms races, by World War II, the tanks had been fortified against the Boys rifle.

But that didn't mean that the Boys didn't continue saving "our boys," because it did continue to see use ... resulting in one of the most iconic photographs of World War II.

For today's Throwback Thursday, we invite you to check out this great video from our friends at American Rifleman TV, you'll learn how the Boys rifle managed the seemingly impossible--penetrating tank armor--and what that meant for American and Allied forces in the world wars of the Twentieth Century.

Latest

Savage Journeys Hunting The Vines Steinbeck Winery
Savage Journeys Hunting The Vines Steinbeck Winery

Savage Journeys: Hunting the Vines at Steinbeck Winery

A story of how deep the roots of hunting and conservation run across generations in this NRA family.

Fieldcraft Friday: Natural Insect Repellents & Bug-Proofing Your Shelter

Our smallest adversaries in the backcountry are the most relentless. Here are some woods-wise ways to deter them.

Reviewed: Beeman XTREME VIPER Air Rifle

Want a simple, powerful, accurate, hard-hitting air rifle for destroying targets beyond 50 yards or for hunting small game? Give this rifle a look!

Throwback Thursday: Lewis & Clark Vs. Grizzly Bears

The explorers had never encountered anything quite like America's grizzlies ... and it fostered something like an obsession.

Sooner Or Later: Oklahoma Mountain Lions on the Rise

The "Sooner State" seems to be developing a native population of cougars.

Interests



Get the best of NRA Family delivered to your inbox.